Ribbon package



9 B. J. GOLDSMITH ,8 8

RIBBON PAdKA E Original Filed Oct. 8, 19:50

INVENTOR.

BERTRHM \[GbmsM/fl/ ATTORNEY.

Patented 31, 1933 i BEBTBAI J. GOLDSMITH, OI ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 'nmnon PACKAGE Original application filed October 8,

This invention relates to improvements in the art of packaging ribbon and has particular reference to hanks or skeins of ribbon such as those which are put up for counter displays and sold in the relatively low priced markets, the present application being a division of my. co-pending application Serial No. 487,109, filed October 8, 1930, for Hank or skein-winding mechanism.

It has been heretofore customary to make ribbon hanks or skeins wherein the various convolutions or loops thereof are directly superi'mposed one upon the other. These hanks, when placed upon a counter for display purposes are frequently handled by prospective purchasers with the result that, due to the flexibility of the hanks, the superimposed layers of the ribbon, especially at the ends of the hanks, arelaterally displaced relative to each other and become'more or less entangled and as a consequence, the hanks lose their original attractive and neat appear-- ance, thereby adversely affecting the s'alabil ity thereof. The principal reason for the dis- 2 placement of the loops or convolutions of the hank resides in the fact that it lacks some supporting element for the loops which will tend to maintain the same in their relative aligned or superimposed positions.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above difficulty by interposing between the various loops constituting the ribbon hank, a single length of-flexible ma terial of substantially the same length as the ribbon itself to thereby impart more rigidity to the package and, at the same time, afford a support for said loops which will reduce the possibility of the'same shifting laterally relative to each other.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a 4.5 preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pack:

age constructed in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

like which preferably, but not necessarily,

1980, Serial No. 487,109. Divided and this application filed Septemher a, 1932. Serial No. 632,312. 7

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and i Fi ire 4 is a erspective viewshowing the ends of the ri bon and supporting strip separated.

The package which includes the hank or skein of ribbon 1 is formed in any desired manner such as by the mechanism shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 487,109, filed October 8, 1930. While winding the ribbon 1 intoan elongated hank with the loops thereof superimposed one upon another, a continuous length of some other inexpensive material2, such as paper or the has more rigidity than the ribbon, is simultaneously wound with said ribbon so that when the hank is completed there will be interposed between each pair of adjacent loops a layer of stiffening material. The strip 2 is preferably coextensive in length with the ,ribbon 1 and may be slightly wider so as to provide a'larger supporting surface for the ribbon. When the hank is completed, a band 3 is extended around the same to retain together the intermediate portions of the hank. This will result in a bank made up of a series of longitudinal, superposed strands of ribbon having return bends constituting opposite ends of the hank, the strands being secured together by a binder intermediate the ends of the hank. I

By thus forming the hank, it will be seen that there is provided a coreless, flexible package in which the strip 2 affords a support for the ribbon 1 which will protect the greatest portion of its length against coming in contact with the hands of prospective purchasers and will reduce to a considerable extent the possibility of the various loops of the hank from shifting laterally relative to each other and thereby etting out of alignment. The package of this invention is particularly suited for use with ribbons composed of relatively flimsy material-that is, material so lacking in inherent rigidity asto requiresome stiffening means when the ribbon ismade upin the form of a hank to restrain the hank against sagging and deforming while "being handled. By the term inex- 100 pensive which designates the nature of the strip of material which is interposed between the strands of ribbon, is meant any material which constitutes no valuable part 5 of the ribbon package aside from its utility of lending stiffness to thehank and which normally will be discarded by the purchaser of the ribbon package as the ribbon is used. This material, for example, may be paper, cellophane or possibly a thin wood veneer.

VVhat is claimed is: 1. A coreless ribbon package comprising a long flat continuous ribbon of relatively flimsy material arranged in the form of an elongated hank so, as to provide a series of longitudinal superposed strands of ribbon having return bends at opposite ends of the ,hank, a long continuous rigidifyingstrip of material interposed between the superposed .2 strands of ribbon whereby the hank is maintained in stiffened condition and relatively resistant to sagging and deformation, and means located intermediate theends of the hank for holding the superposed strands of .2 the hank in association.

2. A coreless ribbon package comprising I a long flat continuous ribbon of relatively flimsy material arranged in theform of an. elongated hank so as to provide a series of v 0 longitudinal superposed strands of ribbon having return bends at opposite ends of the hank, a long continuous strip of material of greater stiflness than the ribbon interposed between the superposed strands of the ribbon .35 whereby the bank is maintained in stifl'ened condition and relatively resistant to sagging and deformation, and a cli engaging the hank intermediate its ends or holding the superposed strands of the hank in association. 40 3. As a new article of manufacture, a coreless ribbon package of elongated formation. 7 comprising a hank of flat ribbon made from a single length of relativel flimsy material in which the loops of the l iank are aligned andsuperimposed, a strip of other material of the same length as said ribbon woundbetween the various loops of said hank and constituting the sole support for said loops nd maintaining the same in their aligned 1.50 relationship and means located intermediate the ends 'of the hank for holding the loops in association. l

4. A coreless ribbon package madeup of Y a flat continuous length of non-rigid ribbon 55 wound upon itself a plurality, of times so as to provide a series 0 superposed strands, a continuous rigidi'fying strip of inexpensive material interposed between the superposed strands, and means for holding the strands of ribbonand the strands of the material in such intimate association with each' other as to create a stifiened condition of the whole. In testimony whereof. I have aflixed my signature.

BERTRAM J. GOLDSMITH. 

